The quarantine department in south China's Hainan Province found coffee berry beetles recently in a bag of coffee mailed from Hong Kong.

The coffee has been destroyed by the local quarantine department, according to Li Li, director in charge of the quarantine office in Haikou airport. Li said that this was the first time the beetle had been found in the province.

The beetle, which originates in Africa, is highly harmful to coffee berries and seed. Currently it has spread to more than 50 countries and regions.

China has not been affected by the beetle and the government has listed it as one of the most dangerous pests for quarantine.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2004)